MINGORA: Most students know how easy it is to get distracted in a classroom setting. Students at Sigram Government Primary School too frequently find themselves unable to focus on the teachers’ lectures. The reason here however is not a short attention span; it is that they study in classrooms where as many as two other classes are simultaneously being taught.

A third-grader, Akhtarzada, complains that it is difficult to comprehend what his teacher is saying. “I get distracted by the other classes’ lectures,” he says.

The young student feels that it is unfair how he is sandwiched between the rowdier students from senior classes. In spite of attending school regularly, Akhtarzada feels he is unable to retain what is taught.

A better tomorrow

It is easy to understand Akhtarzada’s frustration. At first glance, the school seems like a busy bazar. Like vendors trying to attract buyers, teachers speak simultaneously trying to hold their students’ attention.

With approximately 300 students, the small school campus barely has any space to walk. Even basic facilities are missing: there are no toilets, furniture for students or fans. In the three small rooms, six grades are being taught. Crammed in the campus veranda are the head teacher’s makeshift office and a workspace for the staff. Yet another class is being conducted at the edge of the open space.

The crowded veranda is at once suffocating. Nonetheless, if it is not a rainy or unusually warm day, the students prefer it to the indoor classes. “It gets very humid and noisy inside, so we enjoy lectures outdoors,” says Fazal Maula, a second grader.

The perceptive student knows that he would be more comfortable at a private school, but his father cannot afford to send him to one.

There are 1,335 government primary schools in the Swat district. Built back in 1978, Sigram Government Primary School is one of the few small schools that are still operational. Similar old schools in the locale have also fallen into disrepair.

Students at the Sigram Government Primary School.

Yet, to the residents despite its conditions, the school is a blessing in the often socio-politically turbulent area. The Sigram village is located seven kilometres away from the Koza Bandai village. This area was once a hub of militant activity.

It is the students and teachers passion for education that keeps the school running. Hamidullah, a teacher who has also taught at a private school, was very enthusiastic when he was hired. “It was my dream to teach underprivileged students from my area,” he says.

Like most worthwhile dreams, however, this too came with its share of complications.

“It is not possible to teach properly here,” he laments. The only thing pushing him to go on is his students’ thirst for knowledge.

“If they get proper attention, they can become highly educated and valuable citizens,” he predicts.

Empty promises

It seemed like things may finally be improving in 2015: funds were allotted to the school under the government’s School Improvement Programme. With this money, the management started the construction of an additional room.

A year later, the incomplete room stands as a reminder of the lack of funding and the slow road to progress. The school’s staff tells Dawn that officials of the educational department frequently visit the school, and make promises about addressing the space issues.

These claims are never followed by action.

A student during Urdu class.

The school has demanded more classrooms and other educational facilities. But these requests seem to be falling on deaf ears. The discouraged educationists question the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government’s claims of streamlining the education sector.

The students’ parents are ready to fight for their children’s education. They have formed a group called the District Parent Itihad (DPI). Hussain Ahmed, a member of DPI says that that they have approached the higher authorities and elected representatives, urging them look into the matter.

DPI vows not to quiet down. The parents are confident their children have a bright future ahead of them. After all, a school full of impassioned students and teachers is likely a good omen.

All photos are by the author.

Fazal Khaliq is a journalist with a focus on culture, tourism and archaeology.

Comments (16) Closed

You cannot blame PTI for a situation that has been brewing for over 50 years. Besides its also the obligation of the federal govt to provide funds for such things which I may add MUST be a top priority. However PPP and PMLs priority never was the common man it is metro buses and tranferffering money to London, Swiss, UAE and Panama. It is a sad fact but the more ignorant a population is, the easier it is to manipulate them, so why make them intelligent?

Recommend0

Azhar Qazi Sep 14, 2016 06:45pm

Some facts and figures:
1) KP Govt built 4500 new class rooms in the last 3 years.

2) According to Alif Ailan District ranking, there were 2,796/23,022 primary schools having only a single classroom in KP (12%) till june 2015. This number must have been decreased significantly in last one year.

4) This particular school is also under construction. The budget has been allocated. The only problem is slow construction. I hope KP Education Department will ask the contractors to complete this school as soon as possible.

5) It would be surprising for the readers that KP Govt spent 25.4 Billion Rs Development Budget as compared to Punjab's 17.6 Billion in Financial Year 2014-15
i.e 7.8 Billion (44%) more than Punajb.

Recommend0

siddiqSep 14, 2016 07:05pm

we need more motorways!what a shame!

Recommend0

Ali SSep 14, 2016 07:51pm

Is it possible to donate money to a govt school? I wonder how it compares with the physical condition of madressahs in that area.

Recommend0

The end is nearSep 14, 2016 08:04pm

Pakistan gets large amounts of financial funds from USA on regular basis but Unfortunately there is no change in Pakistan. The poor people here don't even have access to the basic health faciliities. No safe and clean drinking water is available And 80 percent Pakistani people are forced to drink contaminated Unhealthy water. The energy crisis, loadshedding, unemployement rate is all time high, No improvement in education sector. Many million schools in the country don't have desks and chairs for children. In rural areas children sit under the trees as no building is available, everything is going continuously down. USA should keep check and balance on these funds it gives to Pakistan regularly and ask and verify where these funds are spent and scruitinize this process thoroughly.

Recommend0

SenecaSep 14, 2016 09:33pm

@Azhar Qazi This is the great conundrum democracy has. As in, investments in education take 10-15-20 years to bear any fruit. Hence irreresponsbile govt look to impress voters with short term fanfare and results. On avg a democratic govt is in power 4-5 years before a new govt comes in and then takes the credit for the previous policies and its own failures in the previous govt. In PK successive govt have neglected education and the poor and you are where you are today. This will take at least a generation to fix but you need a TRUE and visionary leader. Results take time to pay dividends. Superficial and materialistic things take weeks. Fancy buses, flowers, roads ,etc. I would like to see media more empowered in PK so that they can challenge the govt and hold them accountable. In the US it is not perfect but they do to a large extent challenge you.

Recommend0

TalikSep 14, 2016 11:24pm

This is called perseverance. Well done to the kids and the school. Didnt the KP government provide 300 million to the Madarassa's? Hope Imran Khan does something about this school

Recommend0

SharySep 14, 2016 11:26pm

And then there is this fuss by imran khan about educational reforms in kpk...

Recommend0

Lahoree1@sbcglobal.netSep 14, 2016 11:55pm

Hats off to the teachers and students.
ISLAM teaches - to get educated, become a good human being and live peacefully.
To be a good Muslim you must first learn to be a good human being - ISLAM = HUMANITY.
"Madarrisah"that teach hate and killing innocent is NOT ISLAM.

Recommend0

JavedSep 15, 2016 01:02am

I do not believe such a school is possible in PTI's KPK.

Recommend0

MazakSep 15, 2016 07:26am

Great article. Education is a basic need. Kudos to the children.

Recommend0

AmirSep 15, 2016 10:45am

@Javed
Dear Brother,
If you don't mind, let me say that your comments are representing the extreme illusion in which PTI's young and enthusiastic voters are living for quite some time. Unfortunately the ground situation is like that.

We must understand that EDUCATION, HEALTH, AND other infrastructures are missing in whole of Pakistan since a long time, due to various reasons like war like situation for over 40 years, politician and army problems etc etc.

Just for your kind information, it is reported in Peshawar's and some other national daily papers that one of the local PTI minister was so fade up with condition of local hospital in Peshawar, that he has transferred his mother to a private hospital.

We should not blame each other for all this and continue doing our part, as we all are responsible for this in one way or other.

Recommend0

AwaisSep 15, 2016 11:26am

Raising voice against any under performance is an essential ingredient of success, in mature journalism around the world reports always shows both side of the picture and if they cant, a note it provided at the end "when seek clarification no response was given", but unfortunately in Pakistan there is not concept of unbiased journalism, for example in this article as well no reply was sought from KPK govt., apparently school building appears to be freshly built but no work in progress details were provided, teacher has been hired from private school which gives the impression of good hiring but nothing can be said for sure as article sole purpose is not the upbringing of these poor souls but to get good reading. I hope one day we common Pakistanis would be able to end to be hypocrites and start working towards the goal.

Recommend0

Shridhar SubrahmanyamSep 15, 2016 12:18pm

@Ali S Don't donate money but get some facilities going by taking personal initiative. Get toilets built, build a water purification plant, provide desks and chairs and, if you can find enough rich people fund mid-day meals to children. Akshaya Patra, run by a few tech millionaires in Bangalore provides 1.6 million meals to children every day in 10 states in India with some help from the Government. Azim Premji, a Bangalore billionaire runs a college for training teachers, specifically for teaching poor children in Government schools.

These initiatives transform society, Giving donations gets stolen by the corrupt politicians and their henchmen.

Recommend0

KhanSep 17, 2016 08:31am

All those schools built before the present govt have two or three rooms for six classes. This govt must construct additional rooms.